Canoe camping in France: two days down a river, bivouac included

Choosing a river that suits you

18,000 people, or very nearly. That is how many used the two bivouac areas in the gorges of the Ardèche, in southern France, in 2026 [1], in the heart of a nature reserve where you may sleep nowhere else [2]. A night by the water, deep in a canyon, after a day of paddling: the promise draws people in, and it takes some planning.

It all starts with choosing the river. The French canoe-kayak federation, the FFCK, separates flat water, meaning lakes, canals and grade I rivers, from white water, which starts at grade II; on white water, it considers it essential for beginners to learn with a club or an instructor [3] [4]. For a first trip on your own, then, aim for a calm river, or a route that the hire company confirms is suitable for beginners. If you are still torn between boats, our guide to choosing between an open canoe and a kayak sets out the differences. In Britain, ‘canoe’ often covers both; in this guide, it means the open, or Canadian, canoe.

Flat-water touring, the federation points out, is one of the oldest and most widespread ways to paddle, for a few hours or several days, from inn to hotel or from bivouac to campsite. Touring boats are long, over 4.5 m, track very well and have watertight compartments for carrying a good load of kit [3].

The gorges of the Ardèche as an example

The trip through the gorges of the Ardèche is the only one on the river that crosses the national nature reserve, protected since 1980. Two routes lead through it to the beach at Sauze, in Saint-Martin-d’Ardèche: 24 km from the hamlet of Chames, just past the Pont d’Arc, a natural stone arch, or 30 to 32 km from Vallon-Pont-d’Arc [5] [6]. It can be done in a day, but a demanding one, with 5 to 7 hours of paddling; it is better taken over two days, with a night at a bivouac area [5].

There is no accommodation in the reserve, so that the wildlife is left in peace; the two bivouac areas at Gaud and Gournier, owned by the Département de l’Ardèche, the local authority, take walkers and paddlers who have booked [2]. During a drought alert, the tourist office warns that the risk of fire becomes particularly high, and that all use of fire is then strictly banned in the reserve, personal stoves, barbecues and cigarettes included [6]. The body that manages the reserve adds that stoves are banned from 1 July to 30 September under prefectural regulations, strongly discouraged the rest of the year, and advises planning cold meals [2].

Where are you allowed to sleep by the water in France?

Away from the Ardèche, the general rule in France applies: you sleep at a campsite, at a designated bivouac area, or where wild camping is allowed, with the landowner’s permission. Riverbanks often belong to private owners, and protected areas have their own bans. Our guide to wild camping in France sets out what the law says, from beaches to national parks.

In practice, the simplest approach is to plan your route around a known place to stay: a riverside campsite, a bivouac area you book ahead, or a gîte d’étape, a simple hostel for walkers. The canoe hire company usually knows the options on its river, and can often arrange the shuttle back to your starting point.

Loading the canoe: everything dry, everything tied in

On the Ardèche, hire companies provide the canoe, paddles, buoyancy aids and waterproof barrels for your things [5]. The principle holds everywhere: anything that must stay dry travels in a sealed barrel, and anything that floats badly is tied to the boat. Keep the weight low and in the middle, so the canoe stays stable, and keep water, sun cream and a windproof jacket within reach.

• In the barrels: the tent, your sleeping bag, dry clothes for the evening, the first-aid kit, the food.
• Within reach: plenty of water, a hat, sun cream, a windproof jacket, your phone in a waterproof pouch.
• For the bivouac: a head torch, and food you can eat cold where fires and stoves are banned.
• For the way back: a bin bag to carry all your rubbish out.

Safety: do not overestimate your strength

The Gorges de l’Ardèche tourist office puts it sensibly: canoeing is a sport, the boat does not move by itself, and you should not overestimate your strength. Take the distance and your experience into account, and avoid setting out on a trip beyond your abilities. Without being truly difficult, the river can be lively in places, and ending up in the water in a rapid is not out of the question [5].

The detail that changes everything is the season. In high summer, the bivouac areas fill up and the river is very busy; in spring or September, when the Gournier area is open and the heat has eased, the same trip takes on a different face. Book early, and check the water level with the hire company the day before you set off.

And when evening comes, with the canoe resting on the pebbles and the cliff turning red above the bivouac, it is easy to see why so many paddlers return to the same river year after year.

Worth watching

A short primer from Canoe & Kayak Magazine: Paul and Willa Mason pack a canoe for an overnight trip and explain why you don’t need to bring the kitchen sink.

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Nolwenn Bastide

Trail running, snow, water, nature and destinations

Nolwenn covers trail running, snow, water, nature and destinations for Outfarer. Curious about everything, from meteor showers to night-train timetables, she has a knack for unearthing the one detail that changes everything, and putting it in a single sentence.

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